Research paper No 1954

Written by London swaminathan

Date: 25 June 2015

Uploaded in London at 14-23

I wrote about the Vedic Dog Sarama and the story’s occurrence in various cultures in mutilated or corrupted forms. The hymn in the Rig Veda (10-108) is very interesting in various ways. Here we read about

1.Corruption

2.Inducement to change party loyalty

3.Ambassadorial role

4.Dog as human pet

5.Dog employed in detective work

All these show that the Vedic society is well advanced. Earlier I wrote about the Rig Vedic Sabha and Samitis, oldest democratic institutions in the world. All these are my observations.

Here is the Sarama hymn (RV.10-108):–

The hymn, as Griffith notes, “is a colloquy between Sarama, the messenger of the Gods or of Indra …… and the Panis or the envious demons who have carried off the cows or Rays of Light which Indra wishes to recover”.

But, according to Macdonell, the hymn is about “the capture by Indra of the cows of the Panis ….. (who) possess herds of cows which they keep hidden in a cave far beyond the Rasaa, a mythical river. Sarama, Indra’s messenger, tracks the cows and asks for them in Indra’s name, but is mocked by the Panis”.

Clearly there is a basic difference in the above descriptions of the myth, says Shrikant Talageri in his book—“The Rig Veda – A Historical Analysis”.

From Griffith’s translation (R V 10-108):–

“I come appointed messenger of Indra, seeking your ample stores of wealth, O Panis

This has preserved me from the fear of crossing; thus I have made my way over Rasaa’s waters (Sarama said this) 10-108-2

Wat is that Indra like, what is his aspect whose envoy, Sarama, from afar thou comest?

Let him approach, and we will show him friendship; he shall be made the herdsman of our cattle (Panis said this) 10-108-3

Even thus, O Sarama, hast thou come here by celestial might to make the journey

Turn thee not back, for thou shalt be our sister; O Blest One, we will give thee of the cattle (10-108-9)

My comments:

1.From the above three stanzas we come across the word MESSENGER/ENVOY.

This shows that the dogs have detective power to find the hidden cows and the hymn says the dog travelled long distances, even crossed a river. Nowadays we hear amazing animal stories where the dogs travel hundreds of miles to go back to their owners. Probably this is the oldest dog story. Dogs have powerful smelling – 3000 times more powerful than human beings.

2.The second point is that sending an animal as AMBASSADOR. We come across swan as a messenger in the Nala – Damyanti story and later great poet Kalidasa sings about Cloud Messenger in his poem Meghaduta. In the 2000 year old Sangam Tamil poetry and later devotional poetry we see lot of animal and bird messengers to their lovers or God. Probably Rig Veda has the oldest reference to such ambassadors (apostrophes to birds etc).

3.The third point is that Panis were ready to bribe Sarama with some cattle and ready to take her their sister. But Sarama rejected the bribe. Panis were the bad people in this episode.

Later Vedic literature Jaiminiya Brahmana (2-440/442) has a slightly different story, according to Talageri. Here, the cows and are clearly referred to as the cows of the Gods stolen by the Panis. This time, the Gods first send Suparna, the eagle or the Sun Bird. However the Panis BRIBE him into silence, and he accepts their gifts and returns without any information. The enraged Gods strangle him, and he vomits out the curds etc. received from the Panis.

Then the Gods send Sarama. She crosses the River Rasaa and approaches the Panis. She is also offered BRIBES, but (as in the Rig Veda), she refuses their bribes and returns to Indra with the information that the cows are hidden (DETECTIVE WORK) inside the Rasa. She and her descendants are then blessed by a grateful Indra.

4.Dogs are grateful animals. Sarama stick to her loyalty in spite of temptations. Dogs are kept as pets from the Vedic days.

According to Talageri, the myth appears in Brhatdevata (8-24/36). Here the myth develops a curious twist. The same sequence of events take place, but this time Sarama accepts the bribe of the Panis, and apparently transfer her loyalty to them. When she returns to Indra and refuses to disclose the hideout of the cows, Indra kicks her in a rage she vomits out the milk she received as a BRIBE and then goes back trembling to the Panis (Ayaram, Gayaram stories in Indian political field).

We know that all these are symbolic stories of what is happening in Nature. But even if we accept it, the similes such as bribe etc used reflects the ways of life in Vedic days. But the good thing about the bribe is, it is offered by the bad people (Panis). Moreover good people reject it or get punishment for accepting it.

5.Two other notes won’t be out of context here:

Chanakya, the author of Arthashastra, says that like the fish that lives in water drinks water, the government officers take bribe!

There is a Tamil Proverb, “Wont the person who extracted honey (from the honeycomb) lick his fingers?”

So, taking bribes has been there from Vedic days, but it is condemned in the Vedas.

(Bribery pictures are used from various sites;thanks)